Willard Coy Bowers

Published 4:40 pm Monday, December 30, 2019

Willard Coy Bowers, 81, of Carter County, Tenn., went home to his Lord and Savior on Sunday, December 29, 2019, after a brief illness. Willard was born on May 15, 1938 to the late Coy and Maggie Williams Bowers. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his daughter, Melissa Bowers, and a brother, Kermit Bowers.
Willard was employed by Gordons and Thomasville Furniture and retired after 30 years of service. He was a member of Union Hill Free Will Baptist Church. He was also a member of Southern Harmony and Headed Home Gospel Quartet. He also accompanied the church choir.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Wilma Stevens Bowers, and son, Aaron Bowers; three brothers, Eldridge, Charles and Carroll; and three sisters, Fredia, Faye and Marge. He is survived by many nieces and nephews and his friends from The Barn, Sonny Fletcher’s Store and Burger Hut.
Willard was well known for his musical talent of playing the Dobro, homemade apple butter and honey. Many friendships were made over the years and Willard treasured each and every one of them.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday, January 1, at Memorial Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Roger Haley and the Rev. Justin Hodges officiating. Music will be provided by Ronnie Blevins. Interment will follow in the Stevens Cemetery, Rittertown Road, Hampton. Active pallbearers will be Chris Bowers, Raymond Carrier, Chris Williams, Tommy Verran, Jamie McKinney and Jimmy Eggers. Honorary pallbearers will be Mack Collins, Dewey Bowers, Sonny Fletcher, Raymond Williams, Darrell Brinkley, Gale Colbaugh, Randall Lewis and his church family. The family would like to “thank” Hospice for the excellent care provided to Willard and our friends and church family for the calls, cards, visits and food provided to our family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Shriners Hospital, ATTN: Office of Development, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607 or to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, 1500 Rosecrans Avenue, Ste. 200, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266. Friends may also visit with the family at his residence. Condolences may be sent to the family at our website, www.memorialfcelizabethton.com.
Memorial Funeral Chapel is serving the Bowers family.